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Clean facilities, good breakfast, no TV but... - Review of Cintra Heritage House

Enjoyable stay in the Cintra Heritage House, excellent location close to everything, friendly staff and good rooms although I do not recommend the downstairs ones as they only have windows to the inside courtyard and feel a bit claustrophobic. I asked to be moved upstairs and it was much better - if you are not too worried by the street noise. Clean facilities, good breakfast, no TV but excellent wifi, good aircond, overall a very pleasant stay. Staff could be a bit more informed to provide guests with shortcuts

Room Tip: I much preferred the room upstairs with windows on the street, the noise is part of the picture in G...

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Stayed January 2013, traveled solo

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

I enjoyed a three-night stay in one of Cintra's standard rooms at the back of the guesthouse. Although there was little natural light, the room was spacious and furnished with lovely solid wood furniture. The room, the bathroom, and all the public area were very comfortable and clean. In the airy upstairs sitting room, there's a computer with free internet access.

Cintra's kitchen turns out some delicious food. I would encourage the guesthouse to always offer the "local breakfast"--nasi lemak--as one of the options for guests who have breakfast included in the price of their stay.

The staff did not provide much "tourist" information, but everyone was very friendly and I learned a lot about local issues from my conversations with them.

This is a thoroughly delightful place to stay with the ferry, shops, restaurants, art galleries, and so on within easy walking distance.

Stayed December 2012, traveled solo

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I stayed at Cintra Heritage House for four nights during a visit to Penang in late December. I found out about this hotel from TripAdvisor, and though it is still pretty new, the reviews so far seemed to indicate that it's a good place to stay among many selections in Georgetown area.

We had six travelers. Initially I booked the room for only two travelers. When a third one was coming, we found out that the hotel did not have any more room available (given it's essentially a guest house/ B&B, they don't have that many rooms available in the first place). We were able to get an extra bed for the room, so three of us could stay there. The other three travelers who joined us very late before the trip ended up staying at a large hotel called Cititel nearby.

The location of the hotel is great as it is close to a major road called Lebuh Chulia w/ public buses passing through there. We used public buses and the CAT shuttle bus to travel around Georgetown and to some areas on the island, and KOMTAR bus station is within 10-15 minute walk from Cintra Heritage House. In the morning, there is a street market at nearby Lebuh Campbell that you can visit for authentic look on how the locals shop. At night, you can find many street food vendors within walking distance (at Lebuh Kimberley, Lebuh Chulia). Upper Penang Road where many of the western tourists go for nightlife (should you prefer that) is also within 15 minute walk.

Coming from Indonesia where we had experience with old Chinese 'Peranakan' style homes owned by our relatives, we could say that they had done great job restoring the building and converting it into a B&B. The architecture and decoration felt authentic, thought there were some quirky setups that may cause western visitors used to more modern lodging choices to be uncomfortable. The bathroom is quite small, and there is no clear separation between the shower area and the toilet area. We also stayed in a room that was facing the street, with wooden window and door that when opened literally would take you to the street. That might be a bit weird or uncomfortable for some people, though in our case it wasn't a problem since we only spent time in our room to rest and freshen up and spending most of our time out and about.

The room is equipped with air conditioner and also a ceiling fan. Much appreciated especially after long days out in the heat.

Breakfast was wonderful; you have a choice of either a traditional Chinese/Malaysian breakfast (we had rice porridge one day, and mee goreng on another) or western style breakfast (eggs cooked to order, toast, and fruits). The coffee was also great.

Staff was very courteous. One of my travel partners had some good chat w/ a staff member who was very friendly and helpful even though he didn't speak Malay and his English was so so.

Overall, I think it was great value for the money, and I would stay at Cintra Heritage House again if I were to visit Penang in the future. Just remember to book well in advance given the limited number of rooms available.

Room Tip: Book well in advance. You can do so online via Agoda, or by calling/emailing the hotel.

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Stayed December 2012, traveled with friends

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1Thank rsetia67

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Cintra Heritage House is a reasonable walk from the ferry and bus station, making it an excellent location for exploring Georgetown. And, the essential buses to getting around Penang can be caught just around the corner on Lubah Chulia. Cintra has a very charming appearance making it very inviting. Someone has a good eye for design and has managed to display a terrific collection of antiques in the lobby and the adjoining cafe'. Imran, and the rest of the staff are very kind, helpful and attentive. WiFi is free of charge and works well throughout the entire hotel. The coffee served in the cafe' is deep, rich and excellent. It is worth pointing out that we were awakened in the wee hours of the morning by the call to prayer from the nearby mosque. Since a loudspeaker is used, we are guessing that it is heard for long distances making it unavoidable from most hotels in the area. The only real negative we found was a lack of attention to detail in the cleanliness of our room. A dirty glass from the previous guest was left in the bathroom from the day we arrived until we left. The chrome sink fixtures and walls around the sink were quite dirty and needed to be cleaned. Otherwise, the bedroom area was very clean, and the linens on the bed were lovely. Once you begin researching hotels in Georgetown, and then actually arrive in Penang, you will realize why this hotel and just a few of the others stand out as better than the rest. If you like Indian food, walk a few blocks up Lubah Chulia in the direction of the ferry to Restoran Kapitan for some of the best Indian food you will ever eat.

Stayed January 2013, traveled as a couple

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1Thank cadeauxetonnants

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I stayed in Cintra Heritage House for 4 nights in November and would probably say this is the nicest hotel I stayed in in Malaysia during my 2 week visit.

Upon arriving, the hotel was fairly easy to find. It is in a great location for exploring the city on foot, in a street just off Chulia street (the main artery running through Georgetown). There are many good food options nearby, including a tiny restaurant on the same street frequented by locals and serving delicious chicken & rice. I had no problems with noise from the road, though I guess this was due to being fortunate enough to have been allocated a room at the back of the building with a courtyard window. There was daily moderate noise from a nearby mosque, though this was brief and didn't disturb me at all.

I stayed in a single room, which was a decent size with en suite attached. I love how the hotel has been restored in the traditional colonial style. The rooms are located on the top level around the central courtyard area, which too is beautiful, especially at night with the candles lighting the area. The air con in the room was excellent and quiet and the room was cleaned and the bed made each day.

The reception staff made me feel very welcome and went out of their way to greet me each time I returned to the hotel. I felt as though they genuinely cared how my day had been, which is rare in hotels these days. They also arranged my Thai visa which was appreciated, as I didn't have to waste time visiting the embassy in person. The only minor point to note was that if you want to leave before around 8am, you will need to find a member of staff to open the front door as it will still be locked and reception will be unattended. Not a problem though.

All in all, a fantastic place to stay in a great, vibrant city.

Room Tip: If possible request a room that does not face the street.

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Stayed November 2012, traveled solo

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2Thank Jackie M

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Stayed one night in the family ensuite with 1 queen + 1 single bed. Room is equipped with a/c & fan. Bathroom is clean. Room is pretty spacious. However, the room we were in (room 201) faces the street. It was very noisy even at night with cars & motorcycles passing. There isn't glass windows to block out the noise, windows are made of wood panel. We can hear clearly the sounds of vehicles passing. The wooden window may block the light but definitely not the noise. Suggest the property owner do something to block the noise. I find the room rates are over priced. There are other better accommodation available. The Internet too keeps disconnecting and we were unable to re-connect it back. Nevertheless, the location is pretty good to explore the area on foot.

Stayed January 2013

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We stayed here for three nights when we visited Penang in December 2012.

I'm putting the downside first because there is currently only one review here even mentioning it: The rooms do not have glass windows but only wooden shades separating them from the outside. While this might not present a problem for backwards facing rooms (again, there is only one review on Trip Advisor mentioning noise), it is a disaster for rooms facing towards the road. Imagine motorcycles and trucks driving directly by your bed, honking from very early morning till late - It is virtually impossible to get a good nights sleep without decent ear plugs.

This was a major problem for us. The earplugs we had brought were too large for my girlfriend's ears and she could barely sleep for three nights. We tried to change rooms but unfortunately the place was fully booked. The noise level is the reason we give only two points. If you can live with this or want to try a room not facing the road, you might be quite satisfied with this hotel.

The hotel is located in Lebuh Cintra in the middle of Georgetown and it's very easy to walk the city from there. Plenty of restaurants are nearby and two supermarkets within 5 minutes walk. A laundry service is just around the corner. ATMs are somewhat far so stock up on Cash at the Airport or expect a 15-20 minutes walk.

Staff was friendly, efficient and always ready to help with every question we had.

Rooms were air-conditioned, reasonably spacious with large bed, not too hard mattress. Water pressure in the shower was way better than what you would expect from most mid-range places in South East Asia, just the temperature was somewhat random on one day. There was no TV in the room.

Room Tip: By all means, insist on a room not facing towards the road

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Stayed December 2012, traveled as a couple

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CINTRA HERITAGE HOUSE- The building are shop houses featuring the Southern Chinese Eclectic style and which was built around 1840 -1900’s and once served as a Hair Dressing Saloon for the Japanese Officers and local administrators of Penang during the Post period from 1940’s – 1960's. Building style features Chinese influences on the carved Timber Doors, Air vents, Air wells, Gable end. European and Indian influence on the Louvered shutters, U or V –shaped terracotta tiles. The Cintra Heritage House occupies 4 link-shop houses that have been beautifully restored by master craftsmen mostly done by hand to what it looks like as of today. ...more less

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Also Known As:

Cintra Heritage House Penang/George Town

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